A sneak peek at spring break activities for kids

Feb. 26, 2014

Children have fun playing with slime during a past Pint-Size Science program at the Science Center of Iowa. On March 18, the Pint-Size Science program is called Dino Detectives. Ages 3 to 5 and their families will use hands-on activities to learn about dinosaurs and fossils. / Register file photo

It’s too early to know what the weather will bring during spring break, but no worries — you’ll find plenty to do to keep the kids busy indoors. Check websites for registration information and keep an eye on the Register’s online event database for additional activities.

Des Moines Playhouse

• March 14 and 17-21, Performance Academy: Disney’s Aladdin Kids. Students in grades 3 through 8 will audition for roles, with daily rehearsals culminating in end-of-week performances. $235 for members and $260 for non-members.

• March 17-21, “A Whole New World.” Students in grades 1 and 2 will explore stories from across the world with creative drama and role-playing. $216 for subscribers; $236 for non-subscribers. Visit www.dmplayhouse.com to sign up for either camp, or call 515-277-6261 for more information.

Science Center of Iowa

• March 18, Pint-Size Science: Dino Detectives. Ages 3 to 5 and their families will use hands-on activities to learn about dinosaurs and fossils. $8 for members and $12 for non-members. www.sciowa.org/pintsizescience or 515-274-6868, extension 222.

State Historical Museum

• March 17-21, Spring Break Pedalpalooza. Take a guided tour of the “Riding Through History: A River-to-River Legacy on Wheels” exhibit, check out bicycles from various ven­dors, and learn about bicy­cle care, family-friendly rides and bike safety. Free.

• March 17-21, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., museum vault tours. Featured artifacts include Floppy from the Duane Ellett collection and recent acquisitions of the puppets Katrina Crocodile and Greg­ory Lion from WOI-TV’s program “The House with the Magic Window.” Free.

• Other free events, include the ongoing all-ages Museum Trek at 11 a.m. Saturdays. March 15 highlights Iowa history from 1838 to 1850; the March 22 walk tells of Iowa’s role in the Civil War. An Irish jam will be from 1-3 p.m. March 22. Art by Iowa students is on display all through March and there’s an ongoing exhibit of art­work related to Deere & Company. www.iowahistory.org.

Polk County Conservation

• March 20, 7:30 p.m., While hiking at Jester Park, look for nocturnal ani­mals. Other activities in­clude learning about rocks March 19, equestrian camps March 18 and 20, and more. $5, RSVP by March 18. www.polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/calendar.

Des Moines libraries

For a complete listing, visit www.dmpl.org. Here’s a sample of activities.

• East Side Library: March 17, all day, “Break Into Art,” preschool and elementary-age children can make a spring-break craft; 1:30 p.m., matinee, “Despicable Me 2,” free for all ages, bring your own pillow, blanket and pop­corn. March 18 and 20, all day, “Break into Building,” preschool and elementary-age children can use build­ing blocks to construct projects. March 21, all day, preschool and elementary students are invited to take part in a scavenger hunt exploring the library.

• Central Library: March 17, 1-4 p.m., St. Pat­rick’s Day craft for preschool and elementary-age chil­dren. March 18, 1 p.m., ele­mentary students are invit­ed to design their own racetracks. March 19, 2:30 p.m, middle- and high-school students are invited to a party to celebrate the release of the book-turned-movie “Divergent” by Ver­onica Roth. March 21, 1 p.m., ages 9-18 may take part in super-sized games, in which they’ll act as the game pieces in such classics as PacMan and Battleship.

• Forest Avenue Library: March 18, 4 p.m., middle- and high-school students are invited to play board games and card games. Snacks will be provided.

• North Side Library: March 19, 3 p.m., middle- and high-school students will discuss “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak. Students may borrow a copy of the book.

• South Side Library: March 21, 2 p.m., elemen­tary and middle-school students will discuss “A Long Way from Chicago” by Richard Peck. Books are available to check out at the information desk.

• Franklin Library: March 22, 11 a.m., preschool and elementary-age stu­dents are invited to sign up for a 10-minute slot to read a favorite story to a therapy dog named Scout.

Johnston Library

• March 14, 12:30 p.m., students in grades 6 and up are invited to a party to celebrate the release of the book-turned-movie “Diver­gent” by Veronica Roth. Snacks and prizes will be provided. Call to register, 515-278-5233. March 17, 1:30 p.m., students in kin­der­garten through fourth grade are invited to wear green and celebrate with a pot-of-gold treasure hunt more. Call to register, 515- 278-5233. www.cityofjohnston.com.

Urbandale Library

For a list of the Urban­dale Public Library’s spring-break activities and events, call 515-278-3945 or check www.urbandalelibrary.org.